


How to Fall in Love with your Associate the Hard Way - by Harvey Specter

by ThatwasJustaDream



Category: Suits (US TV)
Genre: But a happily ever after, Falling In Love, Falling into bed, First Time, M/M, No get out of jail free
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-15
Updated: 2017-12-15
Packaged: 2019-02-15 01:00:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13019940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatwasJustaDream/pseuds/ThatwasJustaDream
Summary: With a 'Happy Holidays' to my giftee: This story's written to the prompt 'I'd like something that uses canon lines and/or scenes from the show but in a "fix it" way to show their relationship/domesticity.'





	How to Fall in Love with your Associate the Hard Way - by Harvey Specter

**Love begins with ‘Who the hell is that?’**  
  
Harvey’s standing on his patio late on a Thursday divested of the work uniform, in jeans and a sweater with a scotch in hand. He’s gazing, unseeing, out on the city and thinking about his new associate.

This can’t be love. He won’t let it be. Love’s expensive, and he needs Mike Ross for other things - needs his mind and his instincts, not his good, kind heart. Besides, Harvey may come off as arrogant (to those not looking closely) but he isn’t self-deluded. He knows his feelings are a kind of narcissistic affection for someone who reminds him of a less battle-hardened version of himself.

_‘What are you looking for? Another me….’_

Mike’s much more than a mirror, though, isn’t he? First, there’s the aforementioned enormous, open heart - and those piercing eyes. Fuck… Harvey’s forgotten what day of the week it is, sometimes, looking into those eyes. He knows Mike has caught him gazing; more than once he's given Harvey the head tilt, like 'what?' then looked himself over as if afraid he has crumbs from lunch all over his jacket.

But Harvey's used to pretty people, so Mike’s soft features and baby blues aren’t why he's standing here and contemplating him.

_‘Are you telling me that if I throw you under the bus, you're gonna drag me with you?’_

The little bastard; cheeky frigging monkey, always.

_‘You put your interests above mine, I’m… I'm just putting mine back up next to yours.’_

It’s how Mike stands up for himself that really gets to him: Up on his toes, practically, chest out - looking overly confident but also a twitch away from trembling, something in his expression that says ’please don’t make me bite, but I will if I have to…’

Puppy’s the right word: It’s absurd what a spoiled … _golden retriever_ he can be.

_‘A second ago you thought you were getting whacked. Now you want an office’?_

Harvey had chuckled out loud at the presumptuousness once he was out of earshot.

Good God, he’s as much work as he is help, often. He makes Harvey want to put him up against a wall and…. protect him. Cover him with his own body and shield him from the world; kiss him until that gaze goes hazy; until Mike lets go and surrenders to him.

_If you fall into this pit, Specter, there will be no pulling yourself out. You can't put him in a box marked ‘Well, that was fun’ and forget him. You’re past that, the two of you._

So he won’t. He’ll drive him for all Mike’s worth and get him to understand his true value in the process. He’ll kick the lazy out of him, catch him when the inevitable urge to quit hits him like a wave, make damn sure they don’t get caught; that they keep passing ‘Go’ and gathering money and power together for many, many spins around the board. 

Yes, he _cares_ about him but he will not fall in love with Mike Ross.

 

**Good intentions and the path to hell**

'I think it’s time I started trusting someone else,' Mike says with a sideways glance to watch the words land, and Harvey can’t pretend this is simple affection anymore.

It doesn’t mean he has to _tell_ Mike or _act_ on these feelings. He’s not even sure Mike would reciprocate them. That's the only thing that reinforces his dedication to keeping this professional. That, and knowing how friends tend to stay while lovers go away.

But then the sight of Mike sniffing around the office paralegal drives him out of his mind.

“This better not end up with you in bed with her and telling her your secret,” he says, and it sounds snappish even to his ears. Jealous.

“Harvey, are you…do...you….”

Shit. Mike is in front of him in the file room; standing there in rolled-up shirtsleeves, mussed hair and clothes from hours of intently digging through the boxes and peering through casework. Harvey can smell his distinctive scent; watches Mike licking his lip with that contemplative little tongue thrust that drives him nuts and…. Oh, hell, he’s going to kiss him if Mike doesn’t stop, he’s going to drop in and taste those red lips and put him up against the shelves and….

“…Do you _want_ me? Is that what this is about?”

“Forget I…. said that,” Harvey tries. “Will you?”

“No, I won’t. Look… I never thought you would ever…” Mike’s touching Harvey’s arm with his fingertips, asking for his eyes and Harvey gives him that. “But if you want me, Harvey…. damn. You or her? You versus _anyone_ … it’s not even a contest.”

And that’s it - the way Mike punches that one word, the hint of a crack in his voice; Harvey cups Mike’s cheek in his hand, leans in as a silent asking for permission and _Mike_ kisses _him_ \- a light touch, first, then deeper, Mike opening up for him. Harvey takes, and takes and takes… ‘cause it’s so much better than imagining kissing Mike.

It makes him a little careless; in his rush to find them more privacy between the stacks he stumbles and pushes Mike harder than intended, gets a huffed moan out of him as Mike catches himself and grabs at him for balance. He’s got Mike’s shirt pulled apart in seconds; palms tracing his skin, feeling Mike shiver under his touch, Mike reaching… _fumbling_ … for his own pants zipper and…

“No…” Harvey says against Mike’s lips, hands cupping those ass cheeks. He doesn’t want to stop kissing him, though. Keeps kissing him. “Not here.”

“You…want to stop?”

“Didn’t say I _want_ to, but… we deserve better than …this,” He steps back. “….fucking around in the file room…such a goddamned cliché. I think we deserve better from each other.”

“You’ve thought about it? How…you want it? With me?”

“Of course, I have.”

“So…what do you want?”

“Privacy. Time to go slow. You in my bed, and me doing things to you that I absolutely cannot do to you here. Come over tonight?”

Mike nods and Harvey kisses him five, six times as they button and zip him back up. It’s a little awkward walking away and leaving him there - but it feels so like the right call when nine o’clock comes and Mike standing in his doorway, eyes glittering with anticipation and …nerves. 

“What’s wrong?” Harvey pulls him in by a wrist and, much more gently than this afternoon, sets him against the back of the door.

“I’ve never…I haven’t done much. With guys, I mean, so… I thought you should…be forewarned.”

“We don’t have to do _anything_ , if you don't want to.”

“Oh, I definitely… want. But I don’t know how good at it I’ll be, that’s all. 

“Look, you could be the worst. This could be the most awkward night anyone’s ever had, and I won’t give a damn.”

“C’mon…now…I hardly think I’ll be the _worst._ You challenging me, Harvey?”

The imp is back; Mike grinning at him, dancing a step closer with his chin out and that look that says 'bring it on.'

“I _do_ aim to challenge you,” Harvey gives a hip pop; reels him in and presses against him.

Their hands wander. The temperature in the room seems to jump, Harvey kissing him as deeply and intently as before but slower, more loose and languid and when he finally lets Mike up for air he sees that Mike’s gaze is hazy, Mike is heavy in his arms… like he’s surrendering to him.

And that’s it. Harvey’s in love.

Sink, sank, sunk.

-*-

“Are you okay with us keeping this to ourselves for a while?”

They’re lying pressed against each other under Harvey’s Egyptian cotton sheets; Mike’s arms around Harvey’s neck, head tucked in by his shoulder. Mike’s idly stroking Harvey’s hairline with his thumb, a leg threaded through his.

“Yeah. I am. I think… it’s a good idea,” It’s been five minutes since Mike seized, shouted and shook apart for him for what felt like thirty goddamned seconds but he still sounds like he's coming down - Harvey can actually feel his heartbeat between them. “It wouldn’t do us any favors, right? The whole office knowing we’re…I mean, assuming we continue to…”

“Oh yeah,” Harvey tightens his hold on him. “As often as physically possible, if you're okay with that.”

That gets a low chuckle out of Mike.

“Fuck…I came so hard. I think I greyed out.”

“You’re _loud_ ,” Harvey hears the fondness in the word. “And you were babbling. _Not_ surprising… you're such a motor mouth.”

“You’re different than I thought you would be in bed.”

“How?”

“You invited me to stay, for one thing. And we’re lying here, you’re letting me fuss with you, which… I definitely didn’t take you for a cuddler.”

“Did you think I’d toss your clothes on the floor after? Throw your shoes in the hall and tell you to get the hell out?”

“I don’t know what I expected, but… I like this. So you know, I’m ‘pro-cuddling.’”

“Shocking. How about we agree on one more thing: At work, my say’s what matters. In this… you make the calls. You tell me what’s working and not, okay?”

“What’s the catch?”

“No catch.”

“Probably for the best. I think… I _know_ I’m better at relationship issues than you are. Which isn't saying much.”

“Beautiful boy….” Harvey leans up to dig around for the duvet, pulls it up over them both and settles back in. “I'm not even going to argue it. Most anyone is."

Harvey doesn’t tell Mike the reason he’s really giving him the wheel is because it’s already in his hands. Or that he’s hoping Mike can be happy with keeping things light.

Happily, that’s exactly how he seems to want it: Mike doesn’t offer up the “L” word or ask for it, staying over at times and others not, never assuming weekends unless Harvey asks or one of them had tickets for something fun. Maybe it’s because so many of their waking hours are wrapped up in their work, anyway - there's no one they see more of these days than each other.

Harvey keeps waiting for them to get caught at work and the boom to fall but it never does. How they manage to keep it from their thick as thieves little circle he'll never know. 

**Something more**

Sticking with “Relationship-Light” has its down sides: Harvey’s more of a homebody than Mike; that means once in a while Mike goes out to play with others and he’s home alone. It also means he misses some cues from him - like the time he didn’t get how hard the kid was taking it, losing his grandmother.

“Your stoned is depressing,” Mike's bleary and snarky, bogarting the damn joint. Harvey’s feeling out of place in his rat trap of an apartment they never spend time in together because why would they? “You should never share your feelings....ever.”

So… his attempt to reach out is going swimmingly. Not. Harvey tries and fails to control an eye-roll.

“All I’m saying is that I get it: I grew up in a house _full_ of family, but…. I know what it’s like to feel all alone.”

“You don’t have to do this,” Mike says it a little to quickly. “I know what we are and aren’t to each other, and…it’s okay.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I mean…. I get that I have a say but I also know how uncomfortable it would make you, me looking at you like a shoulder to cry on, so…”

“I can try. I want to try.”

“Really?”

“I can be more for you."

“Well….hell,” Mike’s taking another long drag on the joint, visibly pleased. “S’a damn shame I don’t feel like crying right now.”

“What _do_ you feel like doing?”

They’re in the elevator; halfway up to the floor Pearson Hardman is on with plans to ‘water’ Louis’ carpet when Mike pulls out the emergency brake button instead.

Harvey starts to ask him what the hell he’s doing- then he sees the look Mike’s giving him; both stoned and smoldering, hoodie at a jaunty angle on his head. They’re both giggling like idiots as Harvey hops a couple of times, index finger hooking around the security camera wire and pulling it loose.

Thank God it’s late at night: Mike’s as loud as ever, and even from his knees Harvey can hear his groans echoing through the car, probably flying right up and down the elevator shaft when he comes in Harvey’s mouth, tugging at Harvey’s hair. 

“We’re gonna get busted over that camera,” Mike says as they walk onto their floor. 

“Not if we gift the lobby guy one of the better bottles from Jessica’s stash.”

“Solid plan.”

The discoveries made that night lead to matters weighty enough to put personal concerns on the back burner. But a month later on a Friday when Mike shows up at his door with the weight of the world in his eyes, Harvey knows what to do.

“Hey….” He slides both arms around Mike and leads Mike in, asks it against his cheek. “Why so sad? Tell me what’s wrong.”

“I’m scared we’re going to lose it.”

“Lose what?”

“Everything.”

Harvey's instinct is to tell him he's not really Superman; doesn’t have any answers, or a clue what they’ll do if the cards start to fall - but he bites his tongue and pours them a drink. He lights up the fireplace - lets Mike lie with his head in Harvey’s lap, running his fingers through Mike’s hair, listening to him talk his way through it all until he’s calm again.

“I love you,” Harvey says when they’re in his bed, the lights long out. “I hope you know that.”

Mike doesn’t move in Harvey’s arms; probably asleep, so it doesn’t count as telling him - but it’s a measure of relief, getting the words out for the first time in…ever.

 

**Shit gets Real**

Fate does come for them, of course. It was always on the way. The first time it knocks, they’re able to keep it from getting a foot in the door.

_‘I don't care what happens in that room, I'm not giving you up!’_

It breaks Harvey’s heart, hearing how frantic Mike’s voice is when he says it; tells him he has to- practically _orders_ Mike to point the finger at him, but Mike won’t. Harvey finds them a way out of that jam, but they both know that it’s a preview. The powers that be have them sized-up; will come for Mike again, knowing he’ll never flip on Harvey.

Neither of them is naive enough to think fate won’t get in, eventually. 

-*-

“No,” Harvey says. “Don’t go. You can’t go, Mike. You can’t.”

Mike is standing there in his office – out of nowhere, he’s poured his heart out to Harvey about why he as to quit, has to go join some lame-ass _financial_ firm to save them all, to save the firm, save Harvey and _them_ , but….. no.

“I have to. Don’t you get it?”

“No. I don’t. What do you want me to say, that it’s okay ‘cause you’ll still be in the majors, just in a different game? _You_ need to get _this_ …” Harvey leaves his desk; stands up and walks over to be near him; to take his hand and hold it down low by their thighs, where maybe people passing in the hall won’t see him threading their fingers and squeezing Mike’s in time with his words. “I _can’_ t be _me_ without _you._ ” 

Mike looks amazed; his mouth pops open, he’s silent - and for a second Harvey’s afraid he’s overstepped until….

“I love you, too,” Mike says.

Harvey asks for the hug, and Mike holds on so tight. He buries his face by Mike’s neck and breathes the moment in and ….

….no more Relationship-Light. Everyone knows, now. Neither of them cares if everyone knows.

Jessica _does_ make them fill out indemnification forms - so much paperwork, their fingers ache from signing. Harvey doesn’t want to hear Louis’ shit advice about getting a palimony agreement. And if Donna shows up with one more wedding venue brochure or bespoke tuxedo-design business calling card, they’re both going to lose it.   But beyond that…nothing much changes.

-*-

When the house of cards comes tumbling down, it feels like their love has turned into a wrestling match. Mike pushes him away, Harvey pulls. Mike wants distance so it won’t hurt so much; Harvey can’t stop touching him.

Even the day he’s due at Danbury: Harvey promises he’ll clear the way – go into work super early, let Mike deal with it at his own pace but they both kind of know it’s a lie. When Mike gets downstairs, he sees Ray is in the driver’s seat and Harvey’s standing there at the curb, opening the back door.

“There’s no way in hell I’m letting you do this alone.”

Now they’re _there_ ; leaning against the car, hands clasped. Harvey wants more in these final seconds, but any eyes on them right now aren’t friendly.

“Don’t call me. Don’t come visit,” Mike says. “Live your life, Harvey.”

Harvey doesn't bother to scoff, to roll his eyes. Doesn't move an inch.

“I will _call_. I will _be_ here. I won’t do or think about anything else…until I get you out.”

He does get him out for a night, once. The look on Mike’s face when he wakes up in Harvey’s car, head aching from the knockout drugs, is both beautiful and vaguely comical.

“You …..crazy bastard,” Mike rasps and Harvey flashes him an over the top cheesy grin. “Why did you…”

“I needed to know you’re really all right. I needed to have you home for a night.”

“Your judgment…when you care about someone? Seriously crappy, dude.”

"What was your first clue?" Harvey asks him, and Mike's laughing darkly before he can finish the thought. "Maybe when you dropped a briefcase full of weed at my _feet_ and I hired you ten minutes later?"

It’s all the more delicious, that night, for being stolen. Harvey slides a plain gold band on Mike’s finger once he’s asleep; wakes up to Mike’s tears on his chest as Mike kisses his way up Harvey’s body, his neck, finds his mouth….

They have to leave the ring in a box in Harvey’s dresser before Mike goes back - but they both know it’s waiting there for them. 

-*-

**Free and Clear**

Mike can see him before the prison exit gates open; Harvey with his hands in his coat pockets, eyes taking in the sight of him.

“The worst is over,” Harvey tells him when Mike stops in front of him. “The best? Is yet to come.”

“Holding you to that,” Mike reaches in and - fuck the guards- kisses him. “You’re taking me to dinner tonight. I want the biggest… _coldest_ beer…”

“Mike, you’re fresh out of prison,” Harvey opens the car door for him. “You don’t want a beer. I’m buying you _all_ the scotches. A tasting flight – nine scotches for you, nine for me.”

“Pricey little gesture, Harvey; I like good liquor.”

“No problem. One condition - never leave me again.”

“Not unless you tell me to,” Mike waits until the door’s shut and they’re underway, then pulls in Harvey by the tie. “And maybe not then, even.”

Ray is good enough to hit the privacy screen for them - and they're off.

Amen.

 

-*fin*-

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
